What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[marni]

Yes, what is it with turtles all of a sudden??? There must be a huge migration between Kentucky and Illinois. Ha! Ha! I must've seen six box turtles on my ride yesterday. I also saw wild turkeys, deer, rabbits and squirrels. The critters were busy early in the morning.

It's mating season!!!! Down here in Houston the warnings are all out about the american alligators moving out of the bayous looking for mates. Tehy killed a 10" one today that was soaking up heat from a freeway feeder road. I guess they aren't on the endangered list anymore since it was a professional hunter/owner of a alligator farm that sells the flesh, who got the contract.

sigh... I'm all for progress but the poor gators are getting squeezed out and aren't really to blame for the stupid humans who get too close or let their little doggies out to investigate.

marni

[azfiddle]

My DH & I stopped by a park with a fishing lake around sunset- we always see Black-crowned Night Herons there.

[moonfroggy]

I saw a wild turkey today! I saw a hare last week she saw me turned around and hopped away. I always see lots of quails this time of year. In the past I have seen coyotes and foxes and deer and many types of birds I don't know the names of. Oh and I see lots of red wing black birds this time of year.

[Bike Chick]

It's mating season!!!! Down here in Houston the warnings are all out about the american alligators moving out of the bayous looking for mates. Tehy killed a 10" one today that was soaking up heat from a freeway feeder road. I guess they aren't on the endangered list anymore since it was a professional hunter/owner of a alligator farm that sells the flesh, who got the contract.

Alligators? In Houston? I had no idea. Guess I live a sheltered life here in middle America.

[Catrin]

Today I saw two things that made me smile - a beautiful red-wing blackbird and a group of children set up alongside one of the country roads that I ride. They were selling Kool-Aid for .10 a small cup and also fresh eggs. They were jumping up and down to get my attention yelling things to me like:

"It's already made!"
"It's COLD!"
"The cups aren't very large!"

I had to laugh and promised that I would stop on my return trip. Not that I needed Kool-Aid! However I did stop, gave them a quarter instead of a dime, and had two sips of it. One of their moms were there and I suggested ice water might be a good addition and she agreed - they will do this every Sunday for the summer.

I should have taken a picture of the little stand, I haven't seen children doing that in years!

[Skierchickie]

I frequently see eagles. Once or twice a summer I usually see a black bear (once it was a mother & 2 cubs that ran across the highway just ahead of me). One time I came around a curve on my mountain bike, only to see a skunk running full-tilt toward me on the trail! I had to make a snap decision whether to keep riding as fast as I could to get past him, or try to get turned around and headed the other way (if there was time).

Last week I had a fox bark at me. I heard a hoarse-sounding bark that sounded like a small dog with a sore throat, and he stepped out into the road. I was wondering what kind of dog it was, as I kept riding, and then it barked once again and ran to the other side. Definitely a fox, but I'd never heard one bark before. It kept giving an occasional bark from the bushes by the road until I was gone. I thanked him (her?) for the wonderful experience, and recommended that he stay out of the road, and be safe. Probably a female with pups (kits?) near by.

[PamNY]

One time I came around a curve on my mountain bike, only to see a skunk running full-tilt toward me on the trail! I had to make a snap decision whether to keep riding as fast as I could to get past him, or try to get turned around and headed the other way (if there was time).

So, which did you do?

I saw Canada geese babies today -- and I cannot top the description lph gave.

Catrin, I love little kid lemonade stands -- most often see them in connection with yard sales (or stoop sales, as they are in NYC).

Our Mom hawk continues to sit on her nest, so we think she's laid a second set of eggs. If they hatch, her babies will be two months behind the usual hawk schedule.

[azfiddle]

I first thought it was a good sized dog- but I realized that I was about to cross paths with a javalina this morning. Javalinas (metimes called peccaries) are desert creatures that resemble pigs. It emerged from a yard today on my ride . They have poor eyesight, are unpredictable and usually in packs, so I wasn't quite sure whether to stop and get off, turn around, or keep going. Fortunately, it was by itself and looked up, stopped and let me ride by. They are not uncommon here, especially in neighborhoods with a lot of desert vegetation, but it was the first time I've come so close to running in to one.

It was a little extra adrenalin-

[Aggie_Ama]

I first thought it was a good sized dog- but I realized that I was about to cross paths with a javalina this morning. Javalinas (metimes called peccaries) are desert creatures that resemble pigs. It emerged from a yard today on my ride . They have poor eyesight, are unpredictable and usually in packs, so I wasn't quite sure whether to stop and get off, turn around, or keep going. Fortunately, it was by itself and looked up, stopped and let me ride by. They are not uncommon here, especially in neighborhoods with a lot of desert vegetation, but it was the first time I've come so close to running in to one.

It was a little extra adrenalin-

I saw them out in the Davis Mountains State Parl, they are kind of endearing. I name the one that was near our campsite Fred, I thought he was kind of cute in his own bumbling way. They told us they can be terribly destructive but the ones at the park must have mellowed.